Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$78.37 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Complete set of 15 volumes, published 1835-7. with all but 2 volumes having the publisher's original blind-decorated brown cloth bindings with gilt lettering to the spines. The other 2 have been professionally rebound in brown buckram to match, with gilt lettering on the spine, by the university library we bought the set from.
Seller: G. & J. CHESTERS, TAMWORTH, United Kingdom
Price: US$89.78 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Robert Southey's Works of William Cowper - Volumes I-VIII, incomplete.Hardback, first edition, published 1835-6 by Baldwin & Cradock, Paternoster Row, London.The first eight volumes of a fifteen volume set. Volumes I-III focus on the life of Cowper. Volumes IV-VII look at his letters. Volume VIII features Cowper's poems (as do missing volumes IX-X, whilst volumes XI-XIV should contain translations of Homer and volume XV would have further letters and prose).Octavo/8vo. Each book measures 7" by 4 5/8" by around 1 1/8". Brown cloth binding, crest detail on boards, detail on spines with gilt lettering. These books are in reasonably good condition for their age. They have scuffing, some marks, signs of shelf-wear, small tears at tops and bottoms of spines, and bumped corners. The binding on volume I is very strained, with the front inner hinge nearly broken, although the first pages are still (just) attached to the main textblock. In volume IV the main textblock is detached from the spine, though still attached at the back hinge. In most of the other volumes the binding is quite firm, particularly so at the hinges, although strained here and there in other parts of the books but overall rather good. Page edges are deckled and leaves have mostly been opened and reasonably neatly cut although some pages in volume VII and a couple in volume VIII are unopened at their tops. Browning to page edges, the odd bit of foxing to pages here and there, mainly at the extreme ends of the books. The odd pencil note but page surfaces generally clean. A nice, if partial set. See pictures for more information. From Encylopedia Britannica:William Cowper, (born November 26, 1731, Great Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England?died April 25, 1800, East Derham, Norfolk), one of the most widely read English poets of his day, whose most characteristic work, as in The Task or the melodious short lyric "The Poplar Trees," brought a new directness to 18th-century nature poetry.Cowper wrote of the joys and sorrows of everyday life and was content to describe the minutiae of the countryside. In his sympathy with rural life, his concern for the poor and downtrodden, and his comparative simplicity of language, he may be seen as one in revolt against much 18th-century verse and as a forerunner of Robert Burns, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. While he is often gently humorous in his verse, the sense of desolation that was never far below the surface of his mind is revealed in many of his poems, notably "The Castaway." 1835-6
Seller: GN Books and Prints, Inverness, United Kingdom
Robert Southey. The Works of William Cowper. Baldwin and Cradock, London, 1835.
Price: US$128.26 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A fascinating biographical account of the prolific poet William Cowper, his life, poems, correspondence and Translations. Featuring a vignette title page and frontispiece of William Cowper. Bound to the rear is Poems, The Early Productions of William Cowper 1825 and includes Cowper's earlier work including In a Letter to the Same, An Attempt at the Manner of Waller, On the Picture of a Sleeping Child, and To Delia 1755. Volume one. Rebound in a calf binding with marbled boards. Externally, a trifle rubbed. Internally, firmly bound. Bright pages although there is light spotting throughout, and foxing to endpapers. Armorial bookplate to the front pastedown. Copperplate ink signature to rear endpaper. Volume one of fifteen. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$132.29 + shipping
Description: Mit 2 Portraits in Stahlstich nach W. Harvey. Geprägte OLwdbde (leicht bestoßen u. a. d. Kapitalen schwach läd., 2 Gelenke einger., die Innengelenke eines Bandes einger., Titel meist braunfl.). Erste Ausgabe der ersten Gesamtausgabe.- Lowndes I,541. Sprache: Englisch
Seller: Zentralantiquariat Leipzig GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
Price: US$192.41 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Complete in 15 volumes, published 1835-7. Bound in publisher's blind-decorated cloth with moderate wear esp to heads of spines. The set is ex-Glasgow Theological Academy Library with quite attractive bookplates on front pastedowns and black numbers in ink on spines. Original yellow endpapers (remains of removed plates to front free endpapers). Generally the bindings are in very good condition; vols. 7 & 9 have damaged/broken hinges. All vols have engraved frontis and title page, most with tissue guard. Sporadic foxing, mostly light. A very attractive set.
Seller: Oakholm Books, Aberfeldy, United Kingdom
Price: US$256.55 + shipping
Description: Vols.I-IX, XII-XV. Crown 8vo, 165 x 100mm, full tan polished calf, panelled spines, gilt, lettering-pieces in brown & green, double gilt rules on covers, gilt tooled edges, marbled edges & endpapers. Engraved frontispiece, title-page vignette & other steel-engraved illustrations by W[illam] Harvey. Armorial bookplate & dated ownership signature in each volume of Charles Henry Turner, Bishop of Islington. Most plates faintly dampstained, mainly at tail corners, otherwise very clean & tight. Spines rubbed, lacking two lettering-pieces. 13 vols. (of 15). "A pretty and textually important edition." [Percy Muir in 'Victorian Illustrated Books']
Seller: Cameron House Books, Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom
Price: US$320.69 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: An incomplete, thirteen volume set of William Cowper's work. Cowper was one of the most popular poets of his time. Originally fifteen volumes, volumes VI and VII are missing. William Cowper (1731 1800) was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him "the best modern poet", whilst William Wordsworth particularly admired his poem Yardley-Oak. He was a nephew of the poet Judith Madan. After being institutionalised for insanity in the period 176365, Cowper found refuge in a fervent evangelical Christianity, the inspiration behind his much-loved hymns, he often experienced doubt and after a dream in 1773 believed that he was doomed to eternal damnation. His religious sentiment and association with John Newton (who wrote the hymn "Amazing Grace") led to much of the poetry for which he is best remembered. His poem "Light Shining out of Darkness" gave the English language the idiom "God moves in a mysterious way / His wonders to perform." Includes Cowper's translation of Homer's The Illiad, and much more of his printed works and poems. Also includes a small biography by Robert Southey. Robert Southey (1774 1843) was an English poet of the Romantic school, one of the so-called "Lake Poets", and Poet Laureate for 30 years from 1813 to his death in 1843. Although his fame has been long eclipsed by that of his contemporaries and friends William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Southey's verse still enjoys some popularity. Illustrated throughout. In quarter-calf bindings with gilt decorative boards. Externally generally smart, with some wear and bumping to the extremities to all volumes. Internally generally firmly bound, although the hinges are strained, with the cords visible, particularly to V. Pages range from bright and clean to very bright and clean, with very light tidemarks to the title pages of Volume V, VIII, XIII, XIV, XV. Occasional pencil markings. Bookplates to all volumes -The United University Library club. There are likewise stamps of the library throughout, although they are not over the text. Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$384.83 + shipping
Description: Baldwin and Cradock. Printed at the Chiswick Press. 1836. First edition, thus. 15 volumes. Engraved frontis. and extra vignette title plus 1 plate to each volume. Vol. I, vignette title dated 1835 while printed title is dated 1836 as are all of the other volumes. Handsomely and uniformly bound in full brown calf gilt, contrasting leather lettering pieces, those of vols. IX and XV lack portions of title labels, gilt decorations to compartments of spine. Very gorgeous marbling to endpapers and edges. Spines slightly rubbed, prelims foxed otherwise a remarkably clean and sound set.
Seller: Addyman Books, Hay-on-Wye, United Kingdom
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 15 Volume Set. Published between 1835 and 1837. Volume I with publication date of 1835. Volume XV with publication date of 1837. The uniform set is 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall with each volume measuring 6 5/8". This is the Robert Southey Edition of Cowper's Works. There are a variety of engravings at the front of each volume. Each volume has marbled endpapers, marbled page edges along with marbled boards. The volumes are 1/4 green leather. The corners are of the same green leather. The spines have green leather with five raised bands along with two red squares approxiamtely 1" x 1". There is gilt type face and gilt decorative design on the spine. NOTE: The extremities and corners of each volume are worn. Previous owner's name neatly written on second page in of volume I only. The total numbered pagination is 5,143 pages. Volume I: 336 pp. Volume II: 370 pp. Volume III: 323 pp. Volume IV: 351 pp. Volume V: 356 pp. Volume VI: 356 pp. Volume VII: 334 pp. Volume VIII: 351 pp. Volume IX: 372 pp. Volume X: 387 pp. Volume XI: 324 pp. Volume XII: 348 pp. Volume XIII: 296 pp. Volume XIV: 300 pp. Volume XV: 339 pp.
Seller: Montana Book Company, Fond du Lac, WI, U.S.A.
Price: US$900.00 + shipping
Description: 15 vols. FINE CONTEMPORARY LEATHER BINDINGS. A set of fifteen hardcover books bound in full burgundy morocco with gilt-decorated, Regency-style spines with three raised bands each, and the boards decorated in gilt and blind. All foredges gilt, still shiny with only mild rub marks here and there. The ribbon page markers are very thin, all fraying and some detaching. Edges barely rubbed, and a few tiny dents here and there. The back cover of volume III is slightly bent at the top, causing a hairline crack in the board itself, visible on the rear pastedown. Faint residue inside each front cover where bookplates were removed. Foxing on and around the plates. Neat pencil notations in the margins of volume VIII, apparently made by a 19th-century owner. Light crinkling to the edges of the first several leaves in volume XI, which also has a light smudge in the margin of page 115. Otherwise, text unmarked and binding secure across the set. A beautiful, handsomely bound set in sturdy, collectible condition! Each volume contains an engraved title page and frontispiece. Each volume measures approx. 6.7" x 4.25"
Seller: Kubik Fine Books Ltd., ABAA, Dayton, OH, U.S.A.
Price: US$975.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 15 vols., 6-3/4" x 4-3/8", includes "A Life Of The Author" by Robert Southey, additional engraved title-page and frontis in each volume, bound in 1/2 red morocco, ribbed gilt decorated spines, marbled pastedowns and endpapers, all edges gilt, internally clean and bright, hinges fine, head and foot of spines fine, VERY GOOD.
Seller: D&D Galleries - ABAA, Somerville, NJ, U.S.A.